Raspberry Groovy Raspberry - Rubus idaeus

The Rubus idaeus 'Groovy' is a new raspberry bush that has many advantages, both decorative and delicious. It can be happily welcomed in a pot on the terrace or balcony, or in the ornamental garden, as a small fruit hedge, or even along the edge of a vegetable garden, even in limited space. It is a thornless variety, with a compact habit, distinguished by its bright foliage, golden in summer. Its large-sized raspberries, ripe and bright red, have a sweet and juicy flavour, and are very aromatic. They can be harvested from July to September. The maintenance of this raspberry bush is limited to an annual pruning of the older canes, which should be done in early spring. It grows easily in non-scorching sun or partial shade, in a fresh, fertile, and well-drained garden soil.

The raspberry bush, scientifically known as Rubus idaeus, is a plant from the Rosaceae family, and is related to strawberries, blackberries, and wild roses. It is native to temperate Europe and Asia (from Turkey to China and Japan) and has been cultivated since the Middle Ages in gardens. It can be found in mountain undergrowth, as well as on plains. It is a suckering shrub, composed of upright, cylindrical canes that die in the second year after fruiting: new canes emerge from the base every year.

In the 'Groovy' variety, the canes generally do not exceed 1m (3ft) in height, and the plant, with its dense foliage, will take up about 75-80cm (30-32in) of space on the ground. The young leaves are orange in spring, gradually turning golden yellow in summer. They are pinnate leaves, divided into 5 to 7 leaflets, or 3 leaflets if they are located on the upper part of the canes. A light white fuzz covers their underside. The flowering occurs from June to August. It consists of white flowers, 2-3cm (1in) in diameter, grouped in clusters of 5 to 10. Pollination is carried out by pollinating insects such as bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. The flowers are followed by raspberries, which are actually composed of small fleshy drupes clustered together, and easily detach from the bush when ripe. In 'Groovy', the red fruits are of medium size, with a balanced and fragrant flavour. They can be harvested for almost 3 months, from July to September.

To fully enjoy their flavour, raspberries should be consumed soon after picking, as they do not keep well. If you have a plentiful harvest, consider making coulis, sorbets, pies, or jams. You can also freeze them. The production reaches its normal level in the third year after planting. A plant can bear fruit for several years, around 10 years.

The Mayberry (Lonicera kamtchatka), currants, blackcurrants, blueberries, as well as thornless blackberries and climbing strawberries, will be good companions for this delicious raspberry bush: their compact size and easy cultivation make all these small fruits perfect candidates for creating a fruit hedge.